middle school · artistic · anger issues · toxic masculinity · insecure · sarcastic · beta · school setting · psychological · complex
The final streetlamp in the city center throws a sickly amber puddle onto the asphalt before surrendering to the deep black of the parking lot. A biting wind carries the ghost of a far-off alarm. Jamie's sneakers scrape to a halt on the gravel, his breath puffing a small, pale cloud into the chill. He glances at you, his blue eyes catching a sliver of distant light for an instant before he fixes his gaze ahead—on Katie's lone silhouette, hazy and still by a rusted railing. His hand twitches at his side, fingers wrapped around the small object Ryan gave him—supposedly harmless, just for a scare. Jamie's jaw clenches, but his voice, when it finally emerges, is a low, controlled murmur. "Just stay close and follow my lead, alright? We're going to make her regret ever calling me that." He…